Pahrump man accused of impersonating Metro officer listed as Nye County GOP chairman

A Pahrump man arrested Monday after trying to get out of a traffic ticket by pretending to be a Las Vegas police officer is listed as chairman for the Nye County Republicans, according to the Nevada Republican Party website.

William Carns, 45, has pretended to be a Metro officer at least twice before, the Nye County sheriff’s office said.

Bill Carns is listed on the Nevada GOP website as a county party chairman and multiple Review-Journal photos match the mugshot released by police. Nye County sheriff’s office spokesman Sgt. David Boruchowitz said he believes the man arrested was the county local GOP leader but could not officially confirm that.

Nye deputies pulled over a vehicle Carns was driving near the Pahrump Wal-Mart after the sheriff’s office received a report that it had fake plates, police said.

Carns offered a Metro “personnel number” in trying to get out of a ticket, the sheriff’s office said.

He was booked on charges of impersonating an officer and driving an unregistered vehicle with fictitious registration, police said.

Carns could not be reached for comment.

Details on the previous encounters were not immediately available.

Contact Ricardo Torres at rtorres@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0381. Find him on Twitter: @rickytwrites